New venue after Apollo ceiling fall

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time is moving to a new venue after the ceiling collapse at the Apollo Theatre which injured audience members.

The award-winning play will resume its West End run at the Gielgud Theatre, just up the road from the Apollo on Shaftesbury Avenue, from June 24.

Tickets go on sale on Friday January 17 and priority will be given to people who had bookings at the Apollo.

National Theatre executive director Nick Starr said: "We are grateful to Delfont Mackintosh Theatres for providing us with another home on Shaftesbury Avenue for the show, which has played to full houses at the Apollo since it transferred there last March.

"It will be a real wrench to leave that beautiful theatre, but sadly the closure of the gallery to enable its restoration means that the show no longer works economically there. We look forward to renewing our relationship with Nimax Theatres on another show in the future."

Nica Burns, chief executive of Nimax Theatres which owns the Apollo, said it had been "a deeply upsetting incident for everyone".

She said: "We are sorry to lose such a wonderful production and wish it well."

The Grade II-listed theatre has been closed since the night of December 19 when about 10 square yards of plaster plummeted on to the stalls below, leaving 80 people injured.

More than 700 people were inside the Apollo - which was 45 minutes into the National Theatre's performance of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time - when members of the audience started screaming as it appeared parts of the ceiling caved in.

Some of the injured were taken to hospital on board London buses as the emergency services dealt with the incident in the heart of the capital.

Most were discharged shortly afterwards, having been mainly treated for cuts and bruises.